LONDON — Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto PLC and China’s state-owned Chinalco have set aside recent tensions and agreed Thursday to establish a joint venture to operate an iron ore project in Guinea, in West Africa.

SYDNEY — Australia announced a police investigation into Google on Sunday amid accusations the Internet giant breached privacy laws, becoming at least the second country to investigate the company’s “Street View” mapping services.

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia ordered the expulsion of an Israeli diplomat after investigators concluded Israel was responsible for forging four Australian passports that were used in the slaying of a Hamas operative in Dubai.